Infantile melanoma--a triple threat: diagnosis and management.

Abstract

Cases of infantile melanoma are very rare, and only a few have been presented in the literature. Pediatric melanoma can present to the clinician as a "triple threat" of delayed diagnosis resulting in thick lesions at risk for metastasis, histologic uncertainty of diagnosis, and a lack of data guiding regional node management and adjuvant therapy. Melanoma in childhood is an uncommon condition, and it is even more atypical in infants. There is evidence however that it is increasing in frequency. We present 2 cases of infantile melanoma diagnosed before age 1 and multidisciplinary management performed at our institution. One child was diagnosed with melanoma arising within a congenital melanocytic nevus, and the other presented with melanoma from a de novo acquired scalp lesion. The ambiguity surrounding correct pathologic diagnosis of melanoma in this age group, and the tendency for late diagnosis with thicker lesions presents special staging and treatment challenges to the team of specialists involved in the care of these children.